After Sunrise
by iMelinda
Summary: What happened after Warriors: Power of Three: Sunrise? Hollyleaf is dead, and one of Whitewing's kits is part of the three. This is my version of how it might happen. Things will happen that you never believed possible! Enjoy
1. Prologue

**After Sunrise: Prologue**

Bluestar stood before a young she-cat. "The time has come for you to know," she meowed.

"But what do I need to know?" the slender, white kit asked.

"_There will be three, kin of your kin, that will hold the power of the stars in their paws_," Bluestar quoted. "This prophecy was given to Firestar many seasons ago, but it is time for you to know your part." The blue-gray she-cat led the white kit through a dense forest. Soon, they were in the ThunderClan camp.

"This is my home," the kit meowed.

"Yes, it is," Bluestar agreed. "But we are not here to visit your mother," she added, as the kit made to move to the nursery. "Our destination lies a little bit farther."

She pushed past the bramble shield into the medicine cat den. Being careful not to disturb the sleeping Leafpool, she prodded Jayfeather with her forepaw. "Jayfeather, wake up," she meowed. "I have brought the kit."

Jayfeather scrambled out of his nest. He turned his blue eyes on the young white cat eagerly. "So this is the one?" he meowed. "The one in the prophecy?"

"I am sure of it," Bluestar mewed, dipping her head.

"I must tell Lionblaze," the tom muttered to himself. He told the kit, "You, Lionblaze, and I are part of the prophecy – Bluestar told you about it, right? – Our mother is Leafpool, Firestar's daughter, and your mother is Cloudtail's daughter, and Cloudtail is also Firestar's kin, so we are the three." The kit's mouth opened slightly in awe.

"But is this real?" she asked nervously. "Is it not really a dream?"

"This is a dream," Jayfeather mewed. "We needed a place to meet privately. But here we can't have Lionblaze. Tomorrow, at sunhigh, meet us behind the warriors' den. We can discuss it there."

The kit dipped her head. "I'll see you there, Jayfeather!"


	2. StarClan's War

**Chapter One**

Dovepaw squinted in the bright sunlight of mid-greenleaf. She was staring up at the Sky Oak, tracking a squirrel.

"There's no way you'll be able to catch that!" her sister, Ivypaw, told her. "It's much too high!"

"I know," Dovepaw sighed. "I'm just watching it."

The two apprentices were nearly a moon into their training. It was nearly two since Dovepaw had had the dream, and nothing had happened yet. Although she had met with Jayfeather and Lionblaze, she was starting to doubt that she had any part in the prophecy.

"Come on, Dovepaw," the white she-cat's mentor, Hazeltail, meowed, "let's see how well you can climb. Try to reach that low branch." She gestured with her tail.

"Okay!" Dovepaw mewed eagerly. The white apprentice reared up on her hind legs, trying to balance. She leapt.

Wind whirled around her. She could see the leaves and branches rushing past. She was definitely past the first branch. Then there was nothing. Dovepaw let out a frightened yowl.

And then she was on the top of the Sky Oak. Beneath her, she could see Hazeltail and Ivypaw on the ground. Her sister was waving her tail around madly. Dovepaw waved back. She could hear her mentor's faint yowl.

"Dovepaw, get down here!" She supposed Hazeltail was frightened for her, but the apprentice felt strangely at ease. She leapt down.

She must have plummeted several tail-lengths, but she landed softly on her paws. Ivypaw gaped at her, and Hazeltail looked angry.

"How did you do that?" her sister asked. Dovepaw shook her head. She had no idea how she had gotten to the top of the oak, but it had felt wonderful.

"I told you only to go to the first branch!" Hazeltail scolded.

"I'm sorry," Dovepaw meowed. "I really don't know how that happened."

"Well, next time, listen better!"

They spent the rest of the morning hunting. Dovepaw was eager to experience the feeling again, but she didn't need to use her hind legs for hunting. Hazeltail seemed to be intentionally avoiding squirrels and birds, and anything that the apprentices might have to jump to reach.

Finally they were back at camp. "Go take some fresh-kill to the elders," Hazeltail told the apprentices, "and then you can have a break. Tomorrow we're going to be doing battle training."

Once they had fed Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Graystripe, Ivypaw asked Dovepaw, "Do you want to visit Ferncloud in the medicine cat den with me?" Ivypaw's mentor had come down with whitecough shortly after the naming ceremony.

"Of course!" Dovepaw meowed. If she was in the medicine den, she might be able to talk to Jayfeather about the events of the morning.

Jayfeather was out collecting herbs, though, and Leafpool shooed them out of the den, afraid that they would catch whitecough too. "If you want to help your mentor," she meowed, "you can go collect some catmint. I forgot to tell Jayfeather to get it when he went out for the tansy."

"Where can we get it?" Ivypaw asked.

"There should be some by the old twoleg nest at the top of the territory. Just be sure to tell Hazeltail where you're going!" she called after their retreating backs. Dovepaw flicked her tail to show that she had heard.

When they were away from the camp, Ivypaw pulled Dovepaw aside. "You know, you can tell me what you did this morning," she meowed, an anxious look in her eyes. "I won't tell Hazeltail if you don't want me to."

The white apprentice was about to repeat that she didn't know what happened that morning, but she stopped. They were sisters, and they told each other everything.

She began, "A moon ago, Bluestar – she was ThunderClan's leader before Firestar – came to me in a dream..."

* * *

"_You told her?_" Yellowfang gasped. StarClan's hunting grounds spread out around her and Bluestar, with its inviting sounds of prey and greenleaf, but the old she-cat was paying no attention.

"It was time for her to know," Bluestar meowed.

"How do you know?" the former medicine cat asked.

"She has a right to know!" the blue-gray she-cat snapped. "Lionblaze and Jayfeather do."

"Why not announce it to all the Clans, then?" Yellowfang asked, pulling her lips back in a snarl. Bluestar braced herself for a fight.

"Stop!" called a new voice. A black she-cat stepped into the clearing. "We must not fight here," she meowed.

"Who are you to tell us what to do?" Bluestar growled. "We are your elders, and you come newly to StarClan!"

The new cat ignored her. "I agree with Bluestar," she meowed. "Dovepaw needs to know. Haven't you read the signs? The power of three is coming!"

"If you believed the signs, then you would believe that StarClan would wage war on the Clans!" Yellowfang declared.

"But that's what you're doing!" the she-cat protested. "Keeping the secret for so long. We – well, Lionblaze and Jayfeather, really – didn't know what to use their powers for when Sol came, and they still don't, when it's even nearer than ever!"

Hissing and spitting, Yellowfang and Bluestar leapt at the newcomer. She disappeared beneath a mass of fur and claws. _Can a cat die if they're already in StarClan? _she wondered to herself.

"Stop!" Another cat had come into the clearing. The fighting cats broke apart.

"Shiningheart!" Bluestar gasped. The tom glared at her.

"I wish there never was a prophecy," he sighed. "But we must deal with it. It is a good thing that Dovepaw knows; at the rate you are going, the Power of Three will be upon us before we know it."

* * *

The half-moon shone over the lake. On the island of Gatherings, there was little activity. There were little scuffles as prey settled down in their burrows. All living things were oblivious to what was coming.

Storm clouds scudded quickly across the sky. They were dark, and heavy with rain. There was a loud crash of thunder, and the clouds emptied themselves on the land below. Lightning struck out at all angles several times. Finally, the cats of StarClan hit their mark.

Lightning struck the Great Oak. Everything seemed to stop. There was a long groan as the tree split in two. One part fell to the ground. The bark was singed, and the smell of burnt wood was heavy in the air as the rain kept pouring down.

* * *

"That's some storm," Leafpool commented. It was half-moon time, but this time, she and her kit were staying in the medicine den, as the sky had clouded over.

"I'm glad we're not going to the Moonpool in this," Jayfeather agreed. "We'd probably fall off the cliff."

"I hope none of the other medicine cats try to go tonight," his mentor mewed. "It's not safe."

"Let's get some sleep," he meowed. Even if he couldn't see the moon, he could still tell it was quite late.

The medicine cats were awakened by Poppyfrost's warning yowl. "RiverClan in the camp!"

Jayfeather leapt from his nest. It was still the middle of the night, it was still raining; Poppyfrost was on the midnight watch when he and Leafpool had finally fallen asleep. He could tell that Leafpool was on her way out of the den. The watery scent of RiverClan was fresh in his mouth. Something else tinted it, though, something he couldn't figure out. _Panic, _Jayfeather realized.

"Leafpool!" Willowshine came crashing into the medicine cat den. "You have to come quickly! It's Mothwing – something's wrong!"

"What is it?" Leafpool asked. "You didn't try to go to the Moonpool in this?" As if in reply, lightning flashed overhead, and thunder roared.

"She thought the other medicine cats would go," Willowshine meowed, looking at her paws.

Leafpool gasped. "Jayfeather! Mothwing must be injured. Get some herbs, and quickly." Jayfeather, who had been probing Willowshine's mind, trying to figure out what was wrong, dashed towards their herb supply.

"Comfrey for shock, rushes to bind any broken bones, juniper for strength…" the medicine cat muttered to himself.

"Where is she?" Leafpool asked when Jayfeather had gotten the herbs. Willowshine led them out of camp and to the WindClan border.

"She's this way," Willowshine meowed. Lightning illuminated the slope that led up to the Moonpool, but the RiverClan medicine cat veered away from it. Mothwing's pitiful mews suddenly filled the air, and Jayfeather was swept into Willowshine's memory.

_"It's going to be okay, Mothwing," Willowshine meowed. "I'm going for help!" She had to yowl above the heavy rain. Mothwing was lying on the ground, writhing in agony. One of her hind legs was twisted hideously underneath her._

"Mothwing!" Leafpool's horrified mew jolted Jayfeather back into the present. The RiverClan medicine cat was, if possible, in worse condition than when Jayfeather had seen her in Willowshine's memory. She was hardly breathing.

"Leafpool – let me – go – peacefully – please," she choked out.

"You're going to be okay!" Willowshine insisted. Rain pounded steadily on the rock. _Mothwing's death rattle,_ Jayfeather thought grimly.

"We won't let her die," he promised, pressing his muzzle to her fur, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. His legs nearly gave way beneath him as Willowshine leaned on him. Jayfeather stroked his fur with his tail.

_Is this how Leafpool felt when she loved Crowfeather? _Jayfeather wondered. _I don't understand how StarClan can keep medicine cats from this wonderful feeling that is love._

Mothwing let out a yowl of pain. Leafpool had bumped into her broken leg. The golden she-cat's breathing was getting shallower. Jayfeather scented the sharp tang of blood on the air. _Mothwing must have been cut when she fell!_

"Leafpool – look!" He gestured with his tail where the scent was strongest.

The ThunderClan medicine cat gasped. Gently, she turned Mothwing over. Mothwing gasped. Jayfeather could feel panic thick in the air. Then, grief filled the rain-filled air.

"No!" Willowshine let out a howl of grief, stretching to the heavens. Thunder boomed. Jayfeather put his paw on Mothwing's flank. It was cold and very still.

"She's gone," he murmured. Willowshine leaned on his shoulder, numb with grief. He felt her pain as his own, and pressed his muzzle into her fur, trying to blot out the sounds of the night and rain, drinking in only the RiverClan medicine cat's sweet scent.

_If I have the power of the stars in my paws, then how come I couldn't save Mothwing?_


	3. Secrets and Forbidden Love

**Chapter Two**

Lionblaze intercepted his brother almost the moment he set foot in camp. "Jayfeather, where were you? What happened?"

Jayfeather didn't respond. He was more concerned with the sweet scent of Willowshine. He had to see her again; he could feel it in his bones. But Willowshine was the full medicine cat of RiverClan, now. And love was strictly out-of-bounds for him, especially after what had happened with Leafpool.

"Jayfeather!" Lionblaze meowed urgently. "What happened?"

The medicine cat shook water from his ears. The rain still hadn't eased off. "Willowshine and Mothwing tried to make the journey to the Moonpool," he muttered.

Lionblaze gasped. "They didn't!"

"They did," Jayfeather meowed. "Mothwing's dead."

"We have to tell Firestar!"

"Leafpool's doing that." He could smell her scent moving upward, and it disappeared as she entered the leader's den. "Look, I'm tired. I'm going to get some rest."

* * *

"I can not believe you did that, Bluestar!" Hollyleaf yowled.

"According to you, this is what was destined to be!" the former ThunderClan leader shot back.

Thunder shook StarClan's hunting grounds. It had never rained there before.

"Look at what you've caused!" Spottedleaf meowed sternly. "Do you and Yellowfang have bees in your brain? Are you trying to cause eternal war between the Clans?"

"The Power of Three must not come," Bluestar meowed. "And I'm doing everything I can to stop it!"

Hollyleaf and Spottedleaf exchanged a glance. Bluestar was making the prophecy come even sooner.

"We must help the Clans," Spottedleaf meowed.

"I need to talk to Jayfeather," Hollyleaf told her. "He doesn't need to know about Bluestar, but he needs to know that _some_ StarClan cats are trying to destroy the forest. He needs to be able to use his powers to stop this!"

"And what about Lionblaze and Dovepaw?"

"He can pass it on."

"Go, quickly, then, before Bluestar realizes what we're doing and tries to stop–"

Her last words were cut off as the blue-gray she-cat cannoned into her. "You'll do nothing of the sort, Hollyleaf!" Bluestar snarled. Terrified, Hollyleaf turned and ran.

She ran away from the clearing and into the forest. Thunder shook the sky again, and lightning flashed. Hollyleaf stumbled. It would not be long before it started raining, and she didn't know what would happen then.

Finally, she reached the pool where StarClan communicated with the Clans below them. Hollyleaf launched herself in it, and passed into the real world. Here she wasn't real, and nothing could hurt her. But she could see cats, and they could see her.

She had to find Jayfeather. It was dark, but she picked up a trace of his scent. The rain had washed much of it away. She followed the scent trail not towards ThunderClan camp, but away from it, towards the border with WindClan.

_What in the name of StarClan is Jayfeather doing? _Hollyleaf wondered. The scent grew fresher as she approached the border stream, and then it stopped. Hollyleaf waded quickly across the stream. She could pick up Jayfeather's scent on this side of the border.

The medicine cat's scent didn't lead toward WindClan camp, as though he were going to visit Barkface or Kestrelpaw, but onward towards RiverClan. She soon picked up the watery scent that marked the border between the two Clans. Jayfeather's scent continued right across it. _What could Jayfeather want with RiverClan?_

As Hollyleaf passed the horse-place, she spotted her brother up ahead. He skirted the clump of reeds that lead to RiverClan camp, and continued along the edge. She realized with a jolt that he was heading for the medicine den.

Jayfeather disappeared inside. Hollyleaf crouched outside the entrance. She'd see him when he came out. Mews came from inside the cave.

"I'm so sorry about Mothwing, Willowshine," she heard Jayfeather meowing. What had happened to Mothwing? Hollyleaf hadn't seen her in StarClan.

"Jayfeather, you shouldn't have come," mewed Willowshine.

"I had to," Jayfeather replied. Hollyleaf was surprised by the sudden certainty in his voice. "Willowshine, I can't be without you."

There was a pause, and Hollyleaf suspected that the two cats were rubbing muzzles, or making another loving gesture. _That's impossible!_ Hollyleaf thought. _Medicine cats can't love!_

"I feel the same way, Jayfeather." Willowshine's voice was quieter; almost a whisper, but Hollyleaf could feel the emotion in it. "But what can we do about it? You know what happened when Leafpool left her Clan. And I'm RiverClan's only medicine cat now. I can't leave them."

_What's happened to Mothwing?_

"We'll think of something, I promise," meowed Jayfeather. Hollyleaf had never heard him be so kind to another cat.

"Let's meet at the next Gathering," Willowshine suggested.

"Until then, Willowshine," meowed Jayfeather. They were probably touching noses again.

_Jayfeather can't do this! He's a medicine cat!_

"Hollyleaf!" Jayfeather's startled mew jerked Hollyleaf out of her thoughts. "What are you doing here?"

"I have to talk to you," Hollyleaf meowed. "I saw you leaving camp and I decided to-"

"Spy on me!" Jayfeather spat. "This is an invasion of my privacy!"

"Jayfeather, I have to do this for the good of the Clan. You _know_ medicine cats can't fall in love!"

"I know that." His eyes shone with sadness. Blindness had not robbed them of emotion. "But I never knew what that would mean."

* * *

"I still can't believe it!" Ivypaw meowed, leaping at Dovepaw. They were training in the hollow. Hazeltail had been teaching them defensive moves.

"Keep your voice down!" whispered Dovepaw. "I think Jayfeather meant to keep this a secret." She rolled easily out of Ivypaw's way. "Focus on our training, for now."

"But you can-"

"Not now!" Dovepaw snapped, and instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry. We can talk later."

"That's quite enough chatter," Hazeltail scolded. It seemed she was always scolding them for something. "Dovepaw, let me see you attack Ivypaw. Ivypaw, you try to defend yourself."

Dovepaw ran quickly at her sister, but instead of leaping at her, she shot under her and quickly unbalanced her. Trying to catch her balance, Ivypaw whirled around, but Dovepaw was already gone.

"Very nice," commented Lionblaze. Dovepaw hadn't noticed him entering the hollow. "I would try slashing out with your claws when you're underneath her, though."

"Let me try!" meowed Ivypaw.

They continued training until sunhigh, and then Hazeltail sent them back to camp to look after the elders. As soon as they were out of earshot of the two warriors, Ivypaw meowed quietly, "You can fly!"

"I know," Dovepaw whispered back. She had gone several tail-lengths just be leaping at a squirrel merely a mouse-length away. "But how is that the power of the stars?"

"No cat can do that," Ivypaw replied even quieter as they got the mouse bile from Leafpool.

"Jayfeather wants me to meet with him and Lionblaze tonight, out in the forest," Dovepaw told her. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course I will!" But they had to drop the conversation then, as they had entered the elders' den.

"Tonight," Dovepaw whispered.

* * *

Clouds had covered the moon, so it was very dark as the two apprentices padded through the forest. It seemed that there was always the threat of rain.

"He said he'd meet us at the training hollow," Dovepaw mewed softly as she led the way through the forest. "Ah, here they are."

Lionblaze and Jayfeather were sitting on the sandy floor of the hollow. Lionblaze shot up as they entered. "What is she doing here?" he meowed sharply, indicating with his tail at Ivypaw, although it was too dark to see.

"She knows about the prophecy," replied Dovepaw.

"We're supposed to keep this a secret," Jayfeather snapped.

"I won't tell any cat," Ivypaw promised.

"Can we trust her?" asked Lionblaze suspiciously. Regardless of who her sister was, the golden-brown tom clearly didn't trust her.

"The secret's out, so we have to," sighed Jayfeather. "But on to the purpose of our meeting…"

"Have you figured out your power?" Lionblaze asked.

"I think so," murmured Dovepaw. "I think I can fly."

Lionblaze stared at her. Even Jayfeather's non-seeing eyes showed signs of surprise.

"What kind of power is that?" meowed Lionblaze, laughing.

"It's mine," Dovepaw snapped.

"Prove it." Lionblaze was hysterical. He couldn't get the image of flying cats out of his mind.

The white apprentice reared up on her hind legs. She looked for somewhere to aim for. The top of the hollow wouldn't be enough; she needed something amazing. Dovepaw located the nearest tree, and leaped.

Once again she was soaring through the air. The scenery flew past her. She could sense the nothingness up ahead, and stopped. She was on top of the tree.

Lionblaze's jaw had dropped open in amazement.

"Did she do it?" Jayfeather asked.

"That was amazing!" cried Ivypaw. "Your best yet!"

"We all have our powers," meowed Dovepaw as she returned to the ground, "but what next?"

That was a question that even Jayfeather couldn't answer.


	4. The Gathering

**Chapter 3**

"Lionblaze!" A paw nudged him in the side. "Lionblaze, wake up!"

Lionblaze opened his eyes to see Hazeltail glaring down at him. "It's about time, Sleepyhead! Firestar's naming the cats to go to the Gathering. Do you want to go?"

He sprang from his nest, shaking moss from his pelt. "Of course I want to!"

"I'll go tell him." Hazeltail padded out of the den, leaving Lionblaze alone with his thoughts.

He had dreamed about the dark forest again. He hadn't seen Tigerstar since their last disastrous meeting several moons ago, but he still wandered the forest many in his dreams. _Is Tigerstar really gone for good? _he wondered. _Or is he training another cat to be like him? _He gulped. _Like I almost was?_

* * *

The moon shone on the surface of the lake. The shadows of ThunderClan were reflected in the shallows as they padded towards the tree bridge. Firestar leapt onto the pointed edge of the fallen tree, and Brambleclaw followed him. Lionblaze had jumped on before Jayfeather and let his tail dangle down so the blind medicine cat would know where to go.

Jayfeather padded confidently across the bridge. He had made this journey so many times that he had it memorized almost as well as the path to the Moonpool. Which is why he was surprised when his paws suddenly slid out from under him. He let out a yowl of panic, and tried to grip the slippery bark in his claws. All the rain had loosened it, though, so the bark tore off and he fell backwards into the lake.

It was shallow, but that didn't stop it from scaring Jayfeather. He had known it was coming, but he still couldn't stand it. The medicine cat thrashed around for awhile before remembering how he had taught Cinderheart to swim. He churned his legs and propelled himself to where he thought the shore was. Startled yowls came from behind him.

When his paws struck land, he was surprised to find the scent of pine with it. He had swum all the way to the island! Jayfeather shook the water from his pelt. Then he caught a whiff of the sweet scent he couldn't ignore. Willowshine padded out of the bushes.

"Wow," she mewed. "I thought only RiverClan cats swam. How did you learn how to do that?"

Jayfeather was about to explain about teaching Cinderheart to swim, but he heard Lionblaze calling him. "I'll tell you later," he meowed quickly. "But do you know what this means? I'll be able to sneak out to meet you! I can just swim across the lake!"

"But you're blind, Jayfeather," Willowshine pointed out quietly. "How will you know which shore to swim to?"

Jayfeather blinked sympathetically. She didn't realize how powerful his love for her was. He'd be able to find her scent in a mass of ShadowClan.

"It doesn't matter," he meowed. "I'll find you, in two moonrises from now."

"Jayfeather!" called an impatient voice from the clearing.

"Leafpool," Jayfeather muttered. "I'll talk to you then." He wound his tail briefly around Willowshine's and then padded into the clearing to find his mentor.

Regardless of what he had said about finding Willowshine in a mass of ShadowClan, it was hard to pick out Leafpool's scent in the crowd. The clearing was chaos. Terrified yowls rang throughout the trees. One stood out amongst the rest.

"The Great Oak has been destroyed!"

Gasps of horror echoed amongst the cats.

"Wait!" called another cat as the leaders made to leave. It was Firestar. "We can stand on the stump," he explained.

He began the meeting. "We have two new apprentices this moon: Dovepaw and Ivypaw."

Meows of congratulations and encouragement rang throughout the clearing. Dovepaw beamed proudly.

Firestar concluded, "Prey is still running well in the forest. StarClan have granted us an early Newleaf."

Leopardstar spoke next. "StarClan have declared war on our Clan," she meowed. The Gathered cats gasped again, but yowls of approval came from the RiverClan cats. Jayfeather felt Leafpool stiffen beside him.

"They have declared war on all the Clans!" yowled Blackstar. "They have destroyed the Great Oak, for StarClan's sake!"

"They killed our medicine cat," meowed Leopardstar, "when she was making the journey to the Moonpool. Surely StarClan would honor that, of all things?"

"I knew I never should have believed in StarClan again," meowed a cat next to Jayfeather. It was Ivytail, a ShadowClan warrior who had believed in what Sol had said about StarClan being powerless. He hissed at her, and turned his attention back to the Gathering.

"StarClan haven't given up on us," Onestar was meowing. "What killed Mothwing and what killed the Great Oak were unlucky storms. StarClan have nothing to do with it."

Another shape wound around Jayfeather. He picked up the scent of Hollyleaf. "StarClan have everything to do it," she whispered in his ear. "Bluestar and Yellowfang have declared war on the Clans to stop the power of three from coming. You, Lionblaze and Dovepaw _must_ use your powers to save the Clan – to save all the Clans!"

* * *

Dovepaw shifted in her nest. She couldn't get comfortable. The events of the Gathering had scared her. "Do you think StarClan have really given up on us?" she whispered to Ivypaw, but her sister was sound asleep, exhausted by the trip around the lake. Sighing, Dovepaw got up and left the den.

She padded right out of camp. Spiderleg, on guard at the camp entrance, didn't even notice her, despite her white pelt. She wandered through the forest, knowing it was dangerous, but she didn't think anything would hurt her. Dovepaw tasted the air, trying to figure out where she was. Clouds had covered the moon as soon as the Clans had stopped arguing. A musky tang hit her tongue. She was near the WindClan border.

Dovepaw padded along it, away from ThunderClan territory. As the ground beneath her paws turned from forest floor to rock, the WindClan scent disappeared. There were little dimples in the stone, helping her find her way. Countless cats had walked this path.

The ground fell away in front of her. Dovepaw could hear the sound of running water. The clouds parted, and moonlight shone down to reveal the Moonpool. She gasped. It seemed that the pool had captured all of the stars in its watery depths. As she gazed into it, ripples formed on the surface, even though there was no wind. Then the water cleared. She was looking at a part of the forest that she had never seen before.

A black shape darted through the forest in the pool. It stopped to look up at Dovepaw, as though it could see her. With a jolt, Dovepaw recognized Hollyleaf. She was looking at StarClan's hunting grounds!

She bent down to lap a few drops from the pool. It was cold, like mountain water, but it tasted like liquid star-shine. Dovepaw lay down and was instantly asleep.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the same forest that she had seen Hollyleaf. The black she-cat was gone, but a new scent tinted the air. It smelled of ThunderClan, but it was no cat Dovepaw had met or even scented before. Raised voices came from a nearby clearing. She peered into the bushes.

And old, grizzled gray she-cat stood at the edge of the clearing, bristling. "I can't believe the Gathering went on!" she meowed.

"I thought for sure destroying the Great Oak would have stopped the truce," mewed another cat. It was the same scent Dovepaw had picked up earlier. A blue-gray she-cat padded up to the gray one. "We'll have to try something different."

"Leopardstar reacted well," the gray she-cat reflected.

"But the other leaders didn't," the second cat countered. "We need something stronger."

"How about a late frost?" the first one suggested. "That ought to scare them off, particularly ThunderClan." Dovepaw bristled. "I never liked Firestar."

"I don't know why I brought him into the Clan." The white apprentice realized that this was Bluestar, the leader when Firestar had first come into the forest as a kittypet. "Sure, he was destined to save the Clan, but that could have been any fire. And now his kin have brought this prophecy down upon us!"

"If I could get my claws on one of them," the gray she-cat muttered broodingly. Dovepaw backed away, terrified. She ran through the unfamiliar forest until she came to the edge of a cliff. She tried to stop, but plummeted over the edge, and woke up with the wind knocked out of her.

"I must tell the others!" she meowed to herself.


	5. Greencough

**Chapter Four**

Jayfeather woke to a sudden chill in the air. He sniffed curiously. A late frost had come, killing all the new growth of herbs. He prodded Leafpool in her side. "Leafpool, wake up! Wake up!" The medicine cat opened her eyes sleepily.

"What is it Jayfeather?" she mewed, but sat bolt upright as she detected the cold as well. "Oh no!" she wailed. "I was going to go collect catmint today!"

"The twoleg nest is relatively sheltered," Jayfeather meowed quickly. "I could go see if any has survived the frost."

"Hurry!" she urged him. "We don't know what kind of illness this late frost might bring."

Jayfeather padded quickly out of the den, out of the camp, and towards the twoleg nest. As he neared it he could detect a slight trace of catmint on the breeze, followed by the sour tang of dead plants. Frozen twigs cracked under his paws as he walked quickly up the twoleg path to the nest. He dove into the garden, and sniffed around eagerly, trying to pick up a trace of the sweet scent. Instead, the scent of twolegs bathed his tongue. He felt his back fur rising, and tried to smooth it down. Panicking wouldn't help anything.

Underneath the twoleg scent he could detect catmint. It was coming from the abandoned nest! He whirled around and padded cautiously into the nest. He relaxed as he realized that the twoleg scent was stale. The catmint plants were sheltered in a corner, inside some twoleg object. Apparently, the twolegs were trying to protect the plants! Jayfeather sent a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan, and went to work gathering some stems.

The medicine cat returned to camp to find a heap of moss outside the den. "Ferncloud has greencough," Leafpool explained as she pushed another bunch of moss and bracken out. "I'm changing the bedding. Take this lot out of camp." She gestured with her tail towards the pile. Jayfeather spat out his catmint and picked up some spoiled moss instead.

"Get Rosepaw and Toadpaw to help you!" his mentor called after him. Jayfeather flicked his ears to show that he heard, and then set out once again through the thorn tunnel.

* * *

"Greencough! What a brilliant idea, Bluestar!" Yellowfang smiled broadly at her former leader. The blue-gray she-cat dipped her head in thanks.

Hollyleaf's patience was wearing thin. "Doesn't it ever occur to you that they might use their powers to fix the greencough outbreak?" she mewed exasperatedly.

"How?" asked Bluestar skeptically. "Flying, fighting, and seeing in dreams aren't going to help them much." Hollyleaf conceded to that, but there had to be some other way the Three could use their powers.

"I intend to make this greencough outbreak incurable," The former ThunderClan leader told Yellowfang proudly. "Eventually it will kill off one of the Three, and the power will be broken."

_No!_ Hollyleaf thought. _Not my brothers! Any cat but my brothers!_

Spottedleaf drew her tail over the other she-cat's shoulder, as though she could tell what Hollyleaf was thinking. "We'll find a way to cure it," she mewed softly.

"Let's get out of here," meowed Hollyleaf. "We don't want Bluestar listening in on our plans."

Together the two cats padded out of the clearing.

* * *

Jayfeather awoke coughing. The medicine cat hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep. He coughed, and coughed, and coughed. He felt as though he would never stop. His throat was raspy, and he felt incredibly hot in the cramped den. Finally the couching eased off, but it was too late. He had woken Leafpool.

"Jayfeather? Jayfeather, was that you coughing?" she asked, concerned.

"No," Jayfeather tried to mew, but it came out as a strangled noise. He tried to repeat himself, but it wouldn't come.

"Jayfeather!" Leafpool gasped, scrambling out her nest. The medicine cat pressed a cool paw to his flank. It felt soothing against his hot pelt, but Leafpool soon withdrew it. "You have greencough!"

_No! _Jayfeather thought wildly to himself. _No! I don't have greencough! I don't! _Desperate to prove it to his mentor, he tried to crawl out of the nest. Leafpool was there immediately, nudging him back in. She needn't have bothered, though. He was too weak to go far.

"Where's that catmint you got yesterday?" Leafpool asked, but she was mostly talking to herself. "Ah, here it is." She dropped the leaves in front of Jayfeather. "Eat up," his mother told him sternly. Wearily, he pushed the herbs away. Ferncloud needed them more than he did. The she-cat had been sick longer than him.

Leafpool pushed the herbs back. "I know what you're thinking, Jayfeather," she meowed. "You need the herbs just as much as Ferncloud does. This sickness can't spread. The catmint will do well even with the late relapse of leafbare. It seems that the twolegs have protected it from the frost."

Giving in, Jayfeather licked up the leaves. They felt soothing to his aching throat as he swallowed. He coughed weakly. Leafpool whisked out of the den, likely to tell Firestar about the greencough in the camp. Ferncloud let out a piteous whimper beside him.

_If I've got the power of the stars, then how come I can't cure my own cough?_

* * *

Dovepaw woke suddenly. It was already past sunhigh. She scrambled out of her nest. Hopefully Hazeltail wouldn't be angry with her for sleeping late, although her mentor didn't know that she'd trekked across ThunderClan territory to the Moonpool in the middle of the night.

Something was wrong. The scent of frost was still there, but there was something else to it, something strange that Dovepaw had never scented before. She stiffed. _Sickness!_ It was like the scent she had picked up around Ivypaw's mentor, only darker, and more bitter. Ferncloud must have gotten worse!

Ivypaw had already left the den, so Dovepaw suspected that she already knew. Her mentor hadn't come looking for her yet, so she decided to visit Ferncloud.

"Hi Leafpool," she mewed brightly, brushing aside the brambles to the entrance to the medicine den.

"Don't come in!" called out a voice inside.

"I wanted to see Ferncloud," Dovepaw told her.

"I'll tell her you stopped by, but the sickness spreads too easily. We can't risk another cat getting greencough," meowed Leafpool sternly.

"Can I get you some herbs?" the gray tabby apprentice asked.

"No, Jayfeather brought plenty back yesterday. Go join your mentor." At that moment, Hazeltail called across the clearing, looking for her apprentice.

"Coming!" Dovepaw yowled back.

"We're still going to be training with Ivypaw," Hazeltail meowed when Dovepaw reached her mentor. "Firestar hasn't assigned her a temporary mentor yet, although it can't be long now. We're going on patrol with Lionblaze."

_Yes! _Dovepaw thought. She'd be able to tell Lionblaze about what she had seen at the Moonpool. However, as the patrol left for the ShadowClan border, it proved impossible. Hazeltail kept fussing over the two apprentices, asking them if the scented anything unusual. Finally, Dovepaw snapped.

"Yes! I do scent something!" she spat at her mentor.

Hazeltail didn't recognize the harsh tone. She was simply excited to be doing something. "What is it?"

"There's a fox scent coming from over there." The tabby apprentice gestured with her tail to a clearing through the trees. She could smell nothing of the sort, but if it got Hazeltail away from them, it would do.

Picking up on what Dovepaw was trying to do, Ivypaw added, "Yes, I can smell it too." She crinkled her nose. "It's yucky." Lionblaze cast the apprentices a questioning glance, but Ivypaw waved him off. He'd understand.

"I'll go check it out," Hazeltail mewed. "Lionblaze, you stay here and watch the apprentices." Dovepaw bristled. _We're not kits, you know!_

As soon as Hazeltail had left, Lionblaze meowed sharply, "Why did you do that? You know very well that there's no fox scent over there."

"I need to talk to you two," she explained. "I had a dream last night." She didn't have to tell them _where_ she had the dream.

"Well?" Ivypaw pressed.

"I saw Bluestar, the ThunderClan leader before Firestar. The other was a dark gray she-cat, but I didn't recognize her.

"Bluestar said that _they _had destroyed the Great Oak. And they were planning to send a late frost to the Clans!"

Lionblaze stiffened. "I've got a nagging suspicion that they caused the greencough outbreak."

"Outbreak?" Dovepaw asked, surprised. "I thought it was just Ferncloud."

"It's not," Ivypaw mewed sadly. "When I went to visit my mentor, Leafpool shooed me out before I even got in. There was definitely another cat in there; the smell of sickness was so strong."

"What if it spreads?" Dovepaw tried not to panic.

"I don't know," Lionblaze meowed. "If it was really caused by StarClan, they will try to make it unstoppable."

"Wait!" meowed Dovepaw suddenly. She cast an anxious glance over to her mentor, who was still inspecting the "fox scent", and lowered her voice.

"I have an idea to stop Bluestar and Yellowfang. I'll tell you later. Let's meet in the training hollow at moonhigh. Bring Jayfeather."

Just then, another cat shot through the bracken. It was Mousewhisker. "Lionblaze!" he meowed breathlessly. "I came as soon as I found out."

"Found out what?" Ivypaw asked eagerly.

Mousewhisker wheezed, trying to catch his breath. "Jayfeather has greencough!"


	6. The Plan

**Chapter Five**

Lionblaze ran through the forest, blood pounding in his ears. He could take on any enemy warrior in the forest and win. He had defeated Tigerstar. He had even managed to face his fears and get the catmint from WindClan. But he couldn't fight sickness, unless it was in his body, and he had no desire to come down with greencough.

Dovepaw and Ivypaw were hard on his heels, with Mousewhisker not far behind. _Jayfeather _isn't _sick, _Lionblaze though. _He's not. Mousewhisker is lying. _But somewhere, deep inside of him, he knew that the gray warrior was telling the truth.

Lionblaze skidded to a halt at the camp entrance, long enough for the two apprentices to catch up to him, and then sped into camp. He realized later how ridiculous they must look, running into camp as though a herd of badgers was behind them, but at the time he didn't notice.

The stench of sickness hung heavily in the air. An eerie screech rose up from the medicine den. Leafpool stepped into the clearing, looking exhausted.

Lionblaze walked up to her. "Who's dead?" he meowed.

The medicine cat dropped her gaze to her paws. _Mouse dung! _Lionblaze thought. _I didn't mean for it to come out like that._

Leafpool didn't notice. "Ferncloud." Her voice was a harsh whisper. The screech had been Dustpelt's, Lionblaze realized. He knew the pain the brown warrior was feeling; he had felt that way when Hollyleaf had died.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Dovepaw asked.

"No!" Leafpool's voice suddenly hardened. "We can't let this turn into an epidemic like the last outbreak – you remember that, Lionblaze?" The golden warrior nodded. Half the Clan had moved to the abandoned twoleg nest to prevent the spread of sickness and they'd stayed there for over a quarter moon until they'd finally gotten catmint. He realized guiltily that they had nearly died because of his dreams of killing Heathertail.

"At least let us gather herbs for you," Lionblaze mewed.

Suddenly Leafpool looked distraught. "Catmint usually works! But it seems like there's nothing I can do to help the sick cats!" she wailed.

"Cat_s_?" Ivypaw whispered, emphasizing the plural. She had only heard of Jayfeather and Ferncloud, and only Jayfeather was left.

The medicine cat listed the names. "Sandstorm, Poppyfrost, Bumblepaw, Graystripe, Brackenfur, Hazeltail, and Jayfeather."

"Surely there's not enough space in your den," meowed Lionblaze. "And you know what happened when we combined the ill cats and the well cats. What are we going to do?"

"We're using the apprentices' den. There's enough space there. Don't worry," she added, seeing the expressions on Dovepaw and Ivypaw's faces, "The elders will move into the nursery, seeing as we aren't using it at the moment, and all of you youngsters will get to sleep in the elders' den."

"It still won't be the same," Dovepaw mewed softly, mostly to herself. Leafpool heard her.

"We're doing the best we can," she mewed gently. "All right, if you're up to it, I could really use some tansy…"

* * *

By the time Lionblaze, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw met at the training hollow at moonhigh, all three cats were exhausted. They had spent the entire day hauling out bedding, hauling in new bedding, collecting herbs, and hunting for the Clan. Even though only a small portion of the Clan was sick, they felt vulnerable.

They collapsed onto the grassy floor of the hollow. "We really shouldn't be doing this," Ivypaw meowed. "We could weaken ourselves and expose ourselves to the sickness."

"I know," Dovepaw agreed. "But we have to do this. If Bluestar and Yellowfang aren't stopped, no cat will live through the next moon. Especially not us," she added, indicating herself and Lionblaze.

"But you said you had a plan?" Lionblaze asked.

"Yes," she mewed. "Although I'm not sure it will work."

"It's our only hope," Ivypaw meowed determinedly. "It has to."

"Let's hear it," meowed Lionblaze.

"I know I've never flown higher than the Sky Oak before," Dovepaw began, "but it makes sense that I should. I mean, how's that the power of the stars if I can't fly higher than a tree?"

Ivypaw and Lionblaze nodded in agreement.

"It would also make sense that I should be able to bring at least one cat with me," she went on. "So I was thinking that – promise you won't laugh – I could well, fly to StarClan's territory and bring Lionblaze – and maybe you, Ivypaw – with me, and then we could overpower Bluestar and Yellowfang."

They stared at her in amazement.

"It's not a stupid idea, is it? Oh, I know it is. Forget I even brought it up," Dovepaw meowed quickly.

Lionblaze was the first to speak. "Of course it's not a stupid idea!" he meowed. "It's the most brilliant thing I've heard in a long time." The gray apprentice beamed with pride.

"We'll have to practice, though," Ivypaw pointed out. "For one thing, we don't know if Dovepaw _can _fly to StarClan. For another, we don't know if she can carry any cat with her."

"Hmm…" Lionblaze purred, thinking. "Well, Dovepaw's mentor is ill now, so I could volunteer to take over both your training. And instead of hunting and fighting, we could be practicing for this. I mean, it _is _still training," he added with a mischievous grin.

"That seems like a good idea," Dovepaw meowed. "I just hope that Firestar doesn't find out that we're not training the way he'd like us to."

* * *

Dovepaw got up off the training hollow floor for what felt like the tenth time that morning. She shook the dust from her pelt and clawed a burr out of her ear.

"Don't worry, Dovepaw," her temporary mentor, Lionblaze, meowed kindly. "You'll get it next time."

"That's what you've been saying all morning," the gray apprentice grumbled.

"You've gotten some really great heights," commented Ivypaw, who was supposed to be practicing the hunting crouch but had given up on it and was instead watching her sister fly.

"I wish I could do distance, like the birds," Dovepaw mewed.

"I'm sure you'll be able to with practice," Lionblaze told her. "You can't expect the prey to leap up into your jaws. You have to stalk it first. And Ivypaw's right," he added. "You got several fox-lengths above that tree."

"But several fox-lengths isn't enough!" she protested. "I need to achieve great heights to get to StarClan's territory."

"I know you do," Lionblaze meowed. He, unlike his brother, had near-infinite patience. Actually, his brother had near-infinite _patients. _At least three more cats had been on their way to the medicine den as they left the camp that morning. _Or, he would have patients, _Lionblaze remembered, _if he wasn't ill. _This thought was followed by the usual stab of pain. All they knew about the gray tabby was that he was still alive, but Leafpool's hopes were not high.

"Try again," he told her. Dovepaw sighed and reared up on her hind legs. Summoning all of her strength, she pushed off the ground. Lionblaze and Ivypaw were gone in an instant.

The landscape – more like skyscape, as she cleared the trees – rushed past her as she gained height. The gray apprentice was prepared to fall back to earth at any moment, her jump not being strong enough and there being nowhere for her to land, but she didn't. She kept going. Dovepaw chanced a glance downward. The training hollow was growing rapidly smaller until a cloud passed in front of it and blocked her vision. Even though it was nearing sunhigh, Dovepaw could see the stars in front of her. She reached out eagerly with her forepaws – she was nearing StarClan territory!

As soon as they had come, the stars disappeared. Dovepaw landed lightly in a mossy clearing. Lionblaze and Ivypaw were gone.

"Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there?" There was no response. With growing panic, Dovepaw yowled again, "Lionblaze? Ivypaw? Anyone?"

She noticed how misty everything looked, as though it wasn't real. Although it was still daytime, the stars glowed brightly above her head. _I made it! _Dovepaw realized. _I'm at StarClan's hunting grounds! _She congratulated herself, but then faced a new problem. Now that she was there, how did she get back home?

* * *

**A/N – Cliffhanger! Ooh, I've got some great ideas to take this story on some weird twists and turns. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, and look for an update soon!**


	7. Noble Warriors' Goodbye

**Chapter Six**

"We'll have to defeat Bluestar and Yellowfang in some way or another," meowed Spottedleaf.

"We could banish them to the dark forest," Hollyleaf suggested.

"But we do not have the authority." Spottedleaf sighed. "Bluestar and Yellowfang did nothing wrong while they were alive."

The word stirred Hollyleaf's emotions. "Jayfeather does not have much time left," she whispered sadly.

Spottedleaf drew her tail over the young cat's shoulders. "I'm so sorry."

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Hollyleaf asked, foolishly allowing herself to hope that he could survive.

"This is the path StarClan have laid out for him," Spottedleaf admitted.

"Why?" asked Hollyleaf. "Hasn't the Three suffered enough confusion? Surely there can't be one other than Jayfeather! Not Ivypaw, that's for sure."

"Jayfeather has served his part in the prophecy," mewed the former medicine cat carefully.

"And now he's disposable?" Hollyleaf snapped, standing up. "You can plan all you want, but I'm going after Bluestar and Yellowfang now! They can't do this to me – to my brothers." She stormed out of the clearing.

"Hollyleaf – wait!" called Spottedleaf. "You're no match for them!"  
The black she-cat padded onward as if she hadn't heard her. Spottedleaf sighed. "Is there nothing I can do to stop the prophecy from coming?"

* * *

Lionblaze padded alongside Ivypaw, hanging at the back of the patrol. Firestar was heading their patrol to check the ShadowClan border.

Every plant in the forest groaned under the weight of the water. At the instant Dovepaw had flown to StarClan, the heavens had unleashed a torrential rain. Lionblaze wondered what they would see at ShadowClan territory. Most of the ground by the border was marshy. He also wondered what StarClan territory was like when it was raining, or snowing, or when it was nighttime.

The golden warrior was so absorbed in his thoughts that he almost walked into Firestar, who was standing at the border, bristling in shock.

"Great StarClan!" he yowled. Lionblaze peered around his leader and instantly felt like yowling alongside him.

ShadowClan territory was flooded. Not just the marsh, the whole thing. Standing water stretched as far as the ThunderClan patrol could see. Lionblaze estimated that it was about four fox-lengths deep. The trees stuck up oddly here and there; some were almost completely submerged, only the tips sticking out of the water. ThunderClan were incredibly lucky that there was a sudden valley at their edge of their territory, for they hadn't gotten much flooding.

A terrified screech split the air, followed by yowling and odd gurgling noises. Ripples stirred the surface of the water, and a small cat thrust itself to the surface.

"Tigerpaw!" Lionblaze gasped. His muscles tensed as he prepared to leap into the water and save the apprentice, but Firestar was already lunging. The flame-colored tom disappeared briefly with a splash but then bobbed to the surface. He swam to Tigerpaw and grabbed the apprentice's tail in his teeth. Firestar tried to drag him to the ThunderClan border, but Tigerpaw thrashed around and wailed.

"Dawnpaw's still under!" he yowled. Lionblaze dove into the water and pulled the apprentice up by the scruff; Firestar had already darted back to where he had found Tigerpaw. The ThunderClan leader disappeared, but Lionblaze and Ivypaw could see his shadow under the water. Ivypaw was shivering next to Lionblaze even though she hadn't gotten wet.

Several moments passed, and Firestar still didn't reappear. However, Dawnpaw broke the surface and swam quickly to the border. She spat out water, and gasped:

"Firestar's still under there! He went all stiff and his eyes closed and now he's just sitting there."

Lionblaze froze. Dawnpaw had described the trance leaders went into while they were losing a life. StarClan could heal wounds on a leader, or take away the sickness, but they wouldn't be able to get him out of the water. Firestar would down over and over.

The golden-furred warrior leapt back into the water, ready to rescue his leader from its clutches. But it was too late. Firestar's body floated to the surface, non-moving and very cold when Lionblaze pressed his paw to it. He let out a yowl of grief. Lionblaze gripped Firestar's tail in his jaws and slowly dragged the body back to shore.

Ivypaw pressed her nose into the bright orange fur. She licked his pelt with slow, rhythmic strokes, smoothing it where it was ruffled. Lionblaze was about to join her, but he stood up.

"We need to get back to camp," he announced. "Some ShadowClan cats are in danger." Dawnpaw and Tigerpaw nodded.

"Blackstar was evacuating the camp. He told us to head for a border, but we didn't hear which. So we went to your border, but we didn't realize that was where the flood was," Tigerpaw explained.

"Flamepaw went with us," Dawnpaw added. She dropped her gaze to her paws. "But he couldn't swim. We – we were very lucky, Tigerpaw and I."

Lionblaze stroked her pelt with his tail. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. They carried the ThunderClan leader's body to the camp together.

He left the apprentices to it when they reached camp. He sought out Brambleclaw in the warriors' den and told him what happened.

"No!" Brambleclaw yowled in shock. By then most everyone in the camp knew. Lionblaze could hear their soft mews of grief.

"You are our leader now," Lionblaze mewed, dipping his head to the cat he had once thought was his father. "You must go to the Moonpool and receive your nine lives."

"Yes," meowed Brambleclaw. "After we keep vigil, though."

"Of course," Lionblaze murmured. He left the den to the clearing to grieve for his fallen leader.

***

Leafpool brought a bundle of dripping moss to Jayfeather's lips. She rubbed her paws along his throat to make sure he swallowed. He had been unconscious for most of the day. She wasn't worried about her other patients, and she realized that this was why medicine cats were forbidden to have kits. She couldn't favor one patient over another. And yet she had to. Jayfeather was her _son_, for StarClan's sake! She couldn't just let him die because the other sick cats needed her.

Fever was coming off of Jayfeather in waves. His breathing was very shallow. Leafpool realized with a burst of grief that there was nothing she could do for him.

The medicine cat wanted to wail to StarClan for help. She was losing everyone she had ever loved. Hollyleaf had been gone for over six moons, Firestar had drowned, Sandstorm was ill with greencough, and Jayfeather was dying! At least she had Lionblaze. It was a comfort to her that once all of this was over, she would still have one kit. Lionblaze is strong, she told herself over and over. He'll live through this.

Leafpool padded into the clearing. The moon floated high in the sky. It was two moonrises since Firestar's death, and Brambleclaw was on his way to the Moonpool to receive his lives and name. She wanted to go with him, but she couldn't leave the sick cats. Normally she would send Jayfeather, but…

She found Lionblaze in the warriors den. He followed her back into the clearing. In hushed tones, she told him, "Come to my den. Bring Dovepaw and Ivypaw with you."

Lionblaze's neck fur bristled. With all the panic of Firestar dying, no one had noticed that Dovepaw was missing. But Leafpool would notice if he went without the gray apprentice.

"What's wrong?" Leafpool asked.

"I'll tell you later," Lionblaze meowed evasively. "I'll go get the apprentices."

They met Leafpool in her den. All the sick cats but Jayfeather had been moved to the apprentices' den. Leafpool liked to keep her kit close.

Lionblaze stifled a gasp. Jayfeather was even worse than he could have imagined. His flanks barely rose and fell and he could see every rib through his brother's pelt. But Jayfeather's pelt was neatly groomed. Leafpool had been taking good care of her favorite patient.

"There is nothing I can do for him," Leafpool mewed quietly. Shock radiated from Lionblaze and Ivypaw, and then grief, and then anger.

"What do you mean?" asked Lionblaze. "Why aren't you treating him with catmint? You said yourself that the plants were sheltered!"

"I don't know," Leafpool admitted. "I really don't know. But Jayfeather is on his way to StarClan."

A growl escaped from Lionblaze's throat. He was about to lunge at Leafpool when the medicine cat den dissolved around him. At first Lionblaze thought he was delirious, but then it formed into new surroundings. Ivypaw was gone, but Jayfeather was there, looking completely healthy. The stench of the sickness was gone.

"Lionblaze." Jayfeather stepped towards his brother. He rubbed up against him and wound his tail around Lionblaze's.

"Jayfeather," Lionblaze mewed. "Why?" Nothing more needed to be sent.

"I served my part in the prophecy. I am no longer needed here," Jayfeather meowed solemnly.

"But – the fire saved the Clan, and he's still here!" Lionblaze protested.

"Was," Jayfeather corrected him.

"But all cats have to die at some point," meowed Lionblaze.

"Firestar had five lives ahead of him," Jayfeather pointed out. "StarClan remove the cats from the prophecies that are no longer needed."

"But what about Brambleclaw?" Lionblaze asked. "He was part of the prophecy when the forest was destroyed."

"Actually, no," Jayfeather contradicted him. "The prophecy was 'Darkness, air, water, and sky will come together and shake the forest to its roots.' Brambleclaw was never mentioned."

"StarClan are evil!" Lionblaze yowled.

"I know," Jayfeather agreed. "I know they are. But they are calling me. I must go."

"No!"

It started raining. But this wasn't normal rain. It sparkled like the stars themselves. Jayfeather tipped his head to the heavens and opened his eyes as wide as he could. The rainwater washed into them, as though rinsing them. Gradually the rain tapered off. Jayfeather turned his eyes on Lionblaze.

He gasped. Gone was the fog that clouded his brother's vision. Jayfeather seemed to see like every cat did. As Tigerpaw had once said, his eyes were no longer 'stare-y.'

"StarClan have given me the gift of sight," Jayfeather meowed. The scenery was dissolving again, and Lionblaze was back in the medicine den. It was as though no time had passed. Leafpool and Ivypaw were still crouched over Jayfeather's non-moving body. His voice echoed in Lionblaze's ears: "Hold my paw."

Lionblaze had no idea what Jayfeather meant, but he had to do it, as his brother's last wish. He grabbed Ivypaw's paw in his and pressed him both to Jayfeather's. Instantly the den swirled around them yet again. Everything went black. When Lionblaze opened his eyes this time, they were in a lush forest at the height of greenleaf. The clearing was lit as though it were sunhigh, but the stars sparkled brightly above. Lionblaze gasped.

"We're at StarClan's hunting grounds!"


	8. The Power of Four

**Chapter Seven**

Hollyleaf ran through the undergrowth, not even noticing the brambles that scratched through her greenleaf-light pelt. All she cared about was getting close enough to Bluestar and Yellowfang to destroy them. They had killed Jayfeather. None of her brothers deserved the same fate that she had faced.

She remembered the great – and not so great - times she'd had with them. They'd gone fox hunting as kits and fought off an invading ShadowClan party as apprentices.

_ShadowClan – _the name increased Hollyleaf's fury. Bluestar and Yellowfang were destroying the forest, one Clan at a time. She had lost count of how many ShadowClan cats had come to StarClan because of the flood. Hollyleaf was sure she had at least seen Flamepaw and Snowbird, a former ShadowClan queen. The Clans didn't deserve to suffer because of the prophecy, and Hollyleaf had always believed in doing what was right for the Clans.

* * *

Dovepaw wandered around aimlessly. She hadn't seen any cat she knew since before she came to StarClan territory. At the moment, the gray apprentice was so desperate that she'd be happy even to recognize Bluestar and Yellowfang.

Her heart sank as she realized that there was no way for her to contact Lionblaze and Ivypaw. They had only talked about getting to StarClan, not about how to get back. They had decided that they'd work it out when they got there. But they had never talked about what to do if one of them went without the others. Dovepaw shook her head, trying to chase away her doubts. She had to focus on finding Bluestar and Yellowfang, just as they had agreed on in the plan.

She was pretty sure that StarClan had no specific camp, or if they did, it was very well hidden. Random scent trails crossed and recrossed each other as cats wandered around, stalking prey, or just wandering around, like she was. The sun was high in the sky – or rather, she thought it was high in the sky, based on the shadows, because the stars were still out – by the time she came across a scent she recognized. _Hollyleaf!_

Hollyleaf had come this way not too long ago. She was in a hurry, because the grass was flattened where she had run over it. Anger darkened the scent. _What could make Hollyleaf so angry? _Dovepaw wondered. Was the black she-cat out to destroy Bluestar and Yellowfang as well? The gray apprentice put her nose to the ground and followed Hollyleaf's scent.

* * *

"Admit it, Lionblaze, we're lost," Ivypaw meowed.

"We're not lost," Lionblaze hissed, "I just don't know where we are."

Ivypaw scoffed. "Same thing. Can you pick up _any _scents you recognize?"

"No," Lionblaze admitted. "I don't know too many cats who came to Star-" He broke off mid word.

"What is it?" Ivypaw asked eagerly.

"I found a scent! I thought I'd never see her again…" The golden tom trailed off, lost in thought.

"Who?" the tabby apprentice demanded. "Tell me!"

"Hollyleaf!" Lionblaze meowed. "My sister!"

"You have a sister?" Ivypaw asked, confused. She hadn't known Lionblaze had any kin aside from Jayfeather.

"I _had _a sister," Lionblaze corrected sadly.

Ivypaw could not contain her curiosity. "What happened to her?"

Lionblaze sighed, and sat down in the long grass. "Hollyleaf believed in the warrior code," he began. "I know we all do, but she practically worshipped it. You know that Leafpool and Crowfeather are our parents, right?" He paused, waiting for Ivypaw to respond. The apprentice nodded.

"Hollyleaf couldn't stand how Leafpool had broken the warrior code, not just by falling in love with Crowfeather-"

"He's from WindClan, right?" Ivypaw interrupted.

Lionblaze sighed. "Yes, he is. Now, are you going to let me finish, or are you going to keep interrupting me?"

Ivypaw wrapped her tail around her paws. "Sorry, Lionblaze," she mewed.

"Hollyleaf couldn't stand how Leafpool had broken the warrior code," the golden tom repeated, "not just by falling in love with Crowfeather, but by falling in love, _period_. It's against the warrior code for medicine cats to do that.

"The code was everything she believed in. Hollyleaf thought that we _need _the code to live. If we don't have the warrior code, then we are nothing more than loners and rogues. And our very birth had shattered it." Lionblaze paused, taking a deep breath.

Ivypaw waited for him to resume his story. This part was obviously painful for the golden tom. She ran her tail along his flank. Lionblaze looked at her gratefully, and then continued.

"Hollyleaf killed herself," he meowed quietly. "She ran in to one of the old tunnels, and it collapsed on her."

"Oh." Ivypaw couldn't think of anything else to say. She wanted to comfort him, but plain old sorry didn't seem to be enough. She hoped that she would never have to grieve over the loss of her kin.

Lionblaze shook off the grim atmosphere. "That doesn't matter," he meowed. "She's in StarClan now. She'll have a better life here than she ever did in ThunderClan. And now we're going to see her again!" He leapt up.

"Let's find her," meowed Ivypaw eagerly.

* * *

Dovepaw had followed Hollyleaf's trail for only a few foxlengths before another scent joined the black she-cat's. Another _two _scents, to be exact. _Ivypaw and Lionblaze! _The gray apprentice raced along the trail, not even stopping to smell Hollyleaf's scent. She knew her sister's scent more than any cat's. As the tabby apprentice and the golden tom came into view up ahead, Dovepaw picked up her pace.

"Ivypaw!" she yowled. Ivypaw spun around, and then raced back towards Dovepaw.

"Dovepaw!" she meowed happily. She rubbed her muzzle up against her sister's.

Lionblaze interrupted them from farther up the trail. "Hollyleaf's about to be facing Bluestar and Yellowfang without us!" he called. "Hurry up before she does something mousebrained!"

The two apprentices raced to catch up with him. "Sorry, Lionblaze," Ivypaw meowed. She felt guilty. She had been reunited with her sister, but Lionblaze hadn't with his.

Dovepaw's neck fur bristled in surprise. "I know this place!" she meowed. "This path leads to the clearing where I saw Bluestar and Yellowfang." Angry yowls came from the trees ahead. "That's them!" she gasped.

The apprentices could only hear Lionblaze's paws thrumming the ground as he ran up ahead of them. Dovepaw and Ivypaw dashed after him. They skidded to a halt and almost ran into him where he had stopped just inside of the clearing.

"Come out, now," Yellowfang meowed in a soothing, yet malicious, tone. "I know you're there." The two apprentices stepped nervously into the clearing.

Hollyleaf and Bluestar were there too. The former ThunderClan leader had her claws at Hollyleaf's throat. Dovepaw made to run up and rescue her, but Bluestar called, "Come any closer and Hollyleaf dies!" The fur on Dovepaw's hackles rose in disbelief. Would Bluestar really murder to get what she wanted?

"There's nothing you can do!" Yellowfang cackled. "We'll just destroy the two of you" – she gestured at Lionblaze and Dovepaw – "and the other one so she can't bear witness. The Power of Three will be over!"

"That's not true!" came a new voice. A gray tabby tom launched himself into the clearing, pushing Bluestar off of Hollyleaf. He pinned her down, yowling to Lionblaze and the apprentices, "Get Yellowfang!"

Dovepaw recognized Jayfeather. Lionblaze and Ivypaw were already racing after the grizzled, gray she-cat, but she hesitated. Bluestar was trained as a warrior, and was very strong. When he lived, Jayfeather had been a medicine cat, and knew nothing of fighting. She launched herself at the former ThunderClan leader.

Bluestar writhed and twisted in every way possible, trying to throw Jayfeather and Dovepaw off of her. The weight of the two cats was too much for her to push off on her own. The blue-gray she-cat opened her mouth to call to Yellowfang, but Dovepaw planted her paw on top of it. Bluestar bit down hard on the gray apprentice's paw.

Dovepaw reared back in pain. She let out a screech. She thought that she was destined to limp for the rest of her life. But as she watched her blood trickling from her cut, the current thinned. She turned her head to look at the underside of her paw, and saw not even a scar to show where Bluestar's teeth had been. Apparently StarClan healed the wounds of any cat in their hunting grounds.

Beneath her, Bluestar had gone limp in defeat. Ivypaw and Lionblaze had Yellowfang pinned down likewise.

"You will never touch us, or any of our Clanmates, again," Dovepaw spat in Bluestar's face. "Understood?"

The former leader nodded.

"The Power of Three will not destroy the forest," meowed Jayfeather, "but will save the forest from these flea-bitten hags." Dovepaw leapt off of Bluestar and let out a yowl of triumph.

Hollyleaf padded over to her. "Well done, Dovepaw," she meowed. "You fought brilliantly. You too, brother," she added, glancing lovingly at Jayfeather. She touched her muzzle to his. "We will walk together, forever, in StarClan." Their tails twined together.

Lionblaze and Ivypaw walked over to them. "How are we going to get back?" the golden-colored tom asked.

"There is a portal that StarClan cats use to get into your world," Hollyleaf meowed, "but we emerge in spirit form. We are not truly there. I don't know how it would work for live cats, and there would be no way for you to get back."

Jayfeather looked interested. "Bring us to the portal," he mewed. "I have an idea."

* * *

"That's ridiculous, Jayfeather!" Ivypaw meowed when he told them his idea. The five cats were standing in front of a pond roughly the size of the Moonpool. The surface of the water was transparent, but instead of looking down at the bottom of the pool, they saw ThunderClan territory below them.

"You guys are sisters," Jayfeather mewed, indicating Ivypaw and Dovepaw. "Two parts of a whole. Who says you both can't be part of the Power together?"

Dovepaw was nodding. "It makes sense," she mewed. "My power gets us to StarClan, and so you could get us back!"

"You are all mousebrained," Ivypaw muttered. She meowed more loudly, "Okay, since it's the only way we can think of to get back, we'll try it."

The tabby apprentice grimaced, thinking of what would come next. "I obviously can't carry you," she meowed, looking at Lionblaze and Dovepaw, "so you'll have to hold on to my tail. _Gently, _please," she added as Lionblaze made to bite down on the end of it. "It's the only tail I've got."

Dovepaw gripped the end of Lionblaze's tail gently in her teeth. "I think it will put less strain on you if you don't have us both hanging on to you," she meowed through the golden fur.

Ivypaw smiled at her sister.

The three cats stood tersely at the edge of the pool. All were opposed to getting their fur wet.

Hollyleaf laughed. "You won't get wet, I promise."

Ivypaw braced herself. "Okay, here goes nothing," she meowed. And with that, she leapt into the pool.

But they didn't land in the pool. Ivypaw had squeezed her eyes shut for the journey, and when she opened them, they were in ThunderClan territory, just outside of the dirtplace tunnel.

"We're home!" Dovepaw cheered.

_Yes_, Jayfeather thought, high above them in the stars. _The Three have come home_.

* * *

**A/N: And that's the end of it! I hope all you great reviewers enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think of the ending! Who knows, maybe someday I'll write a sequel.**


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